Respiration Flashcards
Define energy
Energy is the ability to do work
Define ATP
It is a phosphorylated nucleotide and is the universal energy currency
Define anabolic reactions
Biochemical reactions that use small molecules to synthesis larger ones
Define catabolic reactions
Biochemical reactions that break down larger molecules, via hydrolysis, to produce smaller ones
Define respiration
When energy stored in complex organic molecules is used to make ATP.
What does energy exist as?
Name 4 forms of energy.
Kinetic energy and potential energy
Heat, chemical, electrical and light
List 3 facts about energy
- Energy can not be created or destroyed but it can be transferred
- It’s measured in joules/kilojoules
- It has many forms
True or false.
Catabolic AND anabolic reactions occur in metabolic reactions
True
Name 7 metabolic processes that requires energy
- Active transport to move ions against their concentration gradient
- Secretion via exocytosis
- Endocytosis to move large molecules into a cell
- Anabolic reactions to produce proteins from amino acids, steroids from cholesterol and cellulose from beta glucose
- Replication of DNA/ organelles
- Movement, e.g. muscle contraction or organelles via microtubule motors
- Activation of chemicals, e.g. phosphorylating glucose in respiration
How are catabolic reactions useful in terms of temperature?
Sometimes the reactions release heat which keeps the enzymes, used in metabolic reactions, at their optimum temperature
Where does energy come from?
It comes from photoautotrophs when they photosynthesise in the presence of light to make complex organic molecules. These molecules have chemical potential energy and can be passed on to consumers and decomposers, they then release the energy and use it to phophorylate ADP to ATP.
Define phosphorylation
Adding an inorganic phosphate to a molecule
Describe ATP in detail
It’s a phosphorylated nucleotide and is a high-intermediate compound. ATP is found in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. It consists of adenosine, which is adenine and a ribose sugar, and 3 phosphoryl groups. When hydrolysed to ADP and Pi, it releases 30.6 kj of energy per mol. It is the universal energy currency.
What does Adeonsine consist of?
What about adenosine monophosphate?
And Adenosine diphosphate?
Adenine and a ribose sugar
Adenosine and 1 phosphoryl group (AMP)
Adenosine and 2 phosphate molecules (ADP)
True or false
ATP is continually being hydrolysed but not resynthesised.
False
ATP is continually being hydrolysed AND resynthesised
What is the hydrolysis of ATP coupled with?
It is coupled with a synthesis reactions as the reaction can use the hydrolysed ATP as an immediate source of energy.
Are oxidation and reduction reactions, in terms of electrons, coupled with each other? Explain
Yes because as one molecule is oxidised (loses electrons), another molecule is reduced (gains those electrons).
What are the four stages of respiration?
Glycolysis, link reaction, Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation
Briefly describe glycolysis
It occurs in the cytoplasm and can take place in aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Glucose, a 6 carbon sugar, is broken down into 2 molecules of pyruvate, a 3 carbon compound.
Briefly describe the link reaction
It occurs in the mitochondrial matrix and pyruvate is dehydrogenated and decarboxylated and then converted to acetate. It only occurs in aerobic conditions
Briefly describe the Krebs cycle
It occurs in the mitochondrial matrix and acetate is dehydrogenated and decarboxylated. It only occurs in aerobic conditions
Briefly describe oxidative phosphorylation
It occurs in the mitochondrial cristae (inner membrane) and ADP is phosphorylated to ATP via chemiosmosis. It only occurs in aerobic conditions
Why are coenzymes needed during respiration?
Because enzymes aren’t very good at oxidation and reduction reactions so coenzymes help the enzymes by becoming reduced which helps to catalyse the oxidation (in terms of hydrogen atoms) of substrates.
Give an example of a coenzyme and briefly describe its role
NAD and it gets reduced and carries the hydrogen atoms to the inner mitochondrial membrane where it’s then reoxidised and reused.
Describe NAD in detail
It’s an organic non-protein molecule which helps dehydrogenase enzymes carry out oxidation reactions. Its full name is nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. NAD consists of 2 nucleotides, the nitrogenous base in one nucleotide is adenine and in the other it’s nicotinamide. They both have a ribose molecule and a phosphate molecule. Nicotinamide is the hydrogen acceptor and it accepts 2 hydrogen atoms at a time, this reduces NAD. NAD is required in the first 3 stages of respiration
Describe coenzyme A in detail
Coenzyme A is also called CoA. It consists of pantothenic acid, adenosine, 3 phosphoryl groups and cysteine (an amino acid). It carries ethanoate groups (acetate) made in the link reaction onto the Krebs cycle. It also carries the ethanoate groups made from fatty/amino acids to the Krebs cycle.
Define glycolysis
A metabolic pathway where each glucose molecule is broken down into 2 molecules of pyruvate in the cytoplasm. It can occur anaerobically and aerobically
Define hexose sugars
Sugars that contain six carbon atoms in each molecule
e.g. glucose
Define hydrolysis
Breaking down large molecules into smaller ones with the addition of water.
Define triose sugars
Sugars that contain the carbon atoms in each molecule
How many stages of glycolysis are there?
How many reactions are there?
Which coenzyme is involved?
4
10
NAD
Outline 4 things that occur during stage 1 of glycolysis
- An ATP molecule is hydrolysed and the released phosphate group phosphorylates the glucose molecule at carbon 6 to form glucose 6-phosphate
- Glucose 6-phosphate is changed to fructose 6-phosphate
- Another ATP is hydrolysed and the released phosphate group phosphorylates fructose 6-phosphate at carbon 1 to form fructose 1,6-bisphosphate. This reaction activates the hexose sugar
- The energy from the hydrolysed ATP activates the hexose sugar which prevents it from being transported out of the cell. Once activated, the phosphorylated molecule is called hexose 1,6-bisphosphate
How many ATP are used for each molecule of glucose in stage 1 of glycolysis?
2
Outline 1 thing that occurs during stage 2 of glycolysis
Hexose 1,6-bisphosphate is split into 2 molecules of triose phosphate. These are 3 carbon sugars with 1 phosphate group.
Outline 5 things that occur during stage 3 of glycolysis
- The triose phosphate molecules (aka the substrates) are oxidised meaning 2 hydrogen atoms are removed
- Dehydrogenase enzymes catalyse this
- NAD aids this as it’s the hydrogen acceptor. It accepts the hydrogen and becomes reduced NAD
- 2 molecules of NAD are reduced per glucose molecule
- 2 molecules of ATP are formed via substrate-level phosphorylation
Outline 2 things that occur during stage 4 of glycolysis
- 4 enzyme catalysed reactions convert each of the 2 triose phosphate molecules into a molecule of pyruvate, a 3 carbon compound.
- 2 molecules of ADP are phosphorylated to 2 ATP via substrate level phosphorylation
List the products of glycolysis and their amounts from 1 molecule of glucose. Describe how the products are needed for respiration.
There was a net gain of 2 ATP molecules as 4 were produced but 2 molecules were used to kick start the process.
2 molecules of reduced NAD were produced which will be used in oxidative phosphorylation
2 molecules of pyruvate were produced which will either be transported to the mitochondrial matrix for the link reaction or they will be converted to lactate/ethanol in the cytoplasm in anaerobic conditions.
Define mitochondria
An organelle that’s found in eukaryotic cells, it’s where the link reaction, kerbs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation occurs. These are the aerobic stages of respiration
Describe what the mitochondria consists of in detail
It has an inner and outer phospholipid membrane which makes up the envelope
The outer membrane is smooth whereas the inner membrane is folded into cristae, giving it a large surface area
Between the two membranes is the intermembrane space which is acidic
The inner membrane encloses a matrix which is a semi-rigid, gel like liquid containing proteins, lipids, mitochondrial DNA, mitochondrial ribosomes and enzymes
Describe the shape, size and distribution of mitochondria
Shape: The are rod shaped but can vary in size. Athletes have larger ones as they require more energy
Size: Between 2 and 5 um in length
Distribution: In athletes there are more mitochondria and they have more densely packed cristae meaning there are more ATP synthase enzymes and more ETCs. They’re more metabolically active
Can mitochondria be moved about in cells, explain
Yes, they can be moved around via the cytoskeleton but in nerve cells they are fixed in position near a site of high ATP demand
Where does the link reaction and the Krebs cycle occur?
In the mitochondrial matrix
What does the matrix consist of? 5 things
- Enzymes that catalyse reactions in the link reaction and Krebs cycle
- NAD
- Oxaloacetate which is a 4 carbon compound that accepts acetate from the link reaction
- Mitochondrial DNA which codes for mitochondrial enzymes and proteins
- Mitochondrial ribosomes which are structurally the same as prokaryote ribosomes, it’s where the proteins are assembled
What does the mitochondrial phospholipid outer layer contain?
It contains proteins that form channels or carriers and it contains enzymes.
List 3 things about the inner membrane.
- It has a different lipid composition from the outer membrane and is impermeable to small ions like hydrogen ions
- It’s folded into cristae giving it a large surface area
- Electron carriers and ATP synthase enzymes are embedded in it.
Describe what happens in an electron transport chain (ETC). 5 things in detail
- Electron carriers are enzymes that are associated with a cofactor which is a non-protein haem group containing an iron atom.
- The cofactors accept and donate electrons because the iron atoms can become reduced/oxidised by accepting/donating an electron to the next electron carrier.
- Cofactors are oxidoreductase enzymes because they are involved in oxidation and reduction reactions
- Some of the electron carriers have a coenzyme that pumps protons from the matrix to the intermembrane space. It actively does this using the energy released from the passage of electrons.
- The inner membrane is impermeable to protons so they accumulate in the intermembrane space which builds up a proton gradient
List 3 facts about ATP synthase enzymes
- They are large and protrude from the inner membrane into the matrix
- They are known as stalked particles
- They allow protons to pass through them
Define chemiosmosis and list 2 times when it occurs
Chemiosmosis is the flow of protons through an ATP synthase enzyme.
It occurs during oxidative phosphorylation and during the light dependent stage of photosynthesis